Poultry singeing machine



y 8, 1952 I G. w. JOHNS-ON 2,602,185

POULTRY SINGEING momma Filed Dec. 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvroa, 4 0M217 Mair/9271072.

y 8, 1952 G. w. JOHNSON 2,602,185

POULTRY SINGEING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1946 3 SheetsSheet 2 I. I. "i0." u u H gg y 8, 1952 G. w. JOHNSON 2,602,185

POULTRY SINGEING MACHINE Filed Dec. 14, 1946 3 Sheetqs-Sheet 5 INVENTOR, 4; T 62/10 1% JZ/WM/Z fld/ I L a Bi'm Patented July 8, 1952 s rArgNrcr ics roUL'raYsiNcEme MACHINE j. Gordon W. Johnson, Raytown, Mo., assignor to Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas Oity; Mo., a-corporation of Mis'souri V A plication December 14, 1945, se ials). 716,360

This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in a poultry singeing machine-,fand

has particular reference to a machine forsingeing poultry suspended from a continuously 'moving' conveyor. i

In poultry processing plants wherein feathers are removed from fowl suspended from a moving conveyor by mechanical poultry pickers, a small amount: of fine hair and feathers will remain on each bird at inaccessible parts of the body, such as the wings, the neclgand the legs; Since these feathers must beremoved by singeing before the fowl may be further processed, it is evident that a substantial saving of time would beeffected by the provision of an automatic means whereby each fowl may be singed without removing said fowl from the conveyor line. Y The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of an automatic'means for singeing poultry on the line' A further object is the provision of a poultry singer wherein the duration of the singeing flame is automatically controlled to prevent possible ship thereto from a conveyor, and with portions of one of the burner cabinets broken away.

Fig.2 is a vertical section taken on line 1'III of Figure l.

v Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3, with the access doors of the burner cabinet removed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line V-V of Figure 3. 1

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit by which the gas supply to the singer is controlled.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral l8 refers to a floor engaging base carrying. a frame constructed of piping and comprising a vertical pipe l2 rigidly attached to said base, a

pipe 14 slidable in pipe '12 and adjustably fixed v thereto by set screws l6,'a horizontal pipe Hlli-n- 5- earns. (01. 17 11) v 2 terconnected with pipe [4 at the upper end thereof and extending equally in opposite directions therefrom, a vertically upwardly extending pipe Zfi fixed topipe lt ate'ach end thereof, a pipe/22 slidably carried on; each of pipes at and' adjustably fixed theretoIby, set s'crews 245, an inwardly extending horizontal pipe 25 fixed to; eachof pipes 22 at the upper-ends'thereof, and a p'ipeZS slidable in'each of pipes 2E3 and adjustablyfixed thereto by set screws 36. I

Fixed to the inner end of each of pipes 23 is amountingp1ate32. To one of said mounting plates is attachedga lamp housing as containing a lamp 36; and to the other is firmly fixed'a photoelectric switch 38, the light from said lamp being adapted to impinge 'on said photoelectric switch-and 'therebycontrol the operation of a solenoidbperated gas control valve, as hereinafter described 1 J l j q Slidably carried on horizontal pipe l8 on each side o p pe I 4 isa' slid rs, which maybe adjustably fixe'dto' pipe [Shy set screws 52. "Rigidly'attached to each offsaid slidesabovepipe I8 is an angle iron support M to'w hich is'welded a header pipe 461' Interconnected with said header pipe are a plurality of vertically extending header pipes 45, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Pligidly attached to said vertical header pipes by means of U -bolts 56 area plurality of horizontal support members 52, the outer ends of' which are rigidly attached to and which support sides 54 of burner cabine't fifi, as shown in Figure 3. Said burner cabinet comprises sides 54, top 58', an arcuate front 60, and hinged accessdoors 6i closing the Interconnected with each of header pipes :36 at spaced intervals'thereon are a plurality of 'forwardlyiextending pipes 52, each of said pipes carrying at its forward end'a gas burner 6:1, and being supplied with astcvpcock 65, by means of which the gas supply to-each of said burners may be individually regulated. Gas burners E l associated with each vertical header is are convergent with" the burners associated with the other headers 48, and all of said burners extend forwardly through holes 68 provided therefor in front 600i cabinet 56, as shown in Figure 3.

- ts shown in- Figure 5, each of said gas burners comprises essentially an entrance chamber H3 at the forward end of which is a restricted orifice i2 through which'gas passes in a high speed jet,

air inlets it through which air is drawn into said burner by said'jet, and a tubular chamber l6 which-said gas and'air are mixed.

V n flame spreader 18 is attached to'front so; of

each burner cabinet 56 adjacent the lower edge thereof by means of brackets 80, as shown in Fi ures 2 and 3, said brackets being slotted to allow adjustment of said flame spreaders both vertically and horizontally. Each of said flame spreaders supports a gas burner 64, and is adapted to spread the flame of said burner across substantially the entire. width of. cabinet 56. A small pilot burner 82 is supported immediately beneath the edge of flame spreader I8 at substantially the midpoint thereof by means of a bracket 84 rigidly attached to the lower side of said flame spreader.

Adjustably clamped to frame pipe I2 by means of clamp 86 is a horizontal pipe 88, each end of said pipe being interconnected by means of a flexible hose 90 and pipe 92 with a header 46 supplying burners 64, as shown in Figure 1. Interconnected with pipe 88 ata point intermediate its ends is a pipe 94 in which is included asolenoid valve 96 controlledby thermoelectric. switch 39- as hereinafter, described, and which is connected by hose 98 with a suitable source Off-&5.

A flexible hose I00 interconnects eachof burners supported by flame spreaders I8 with pipe 88. at a point intermediate its ends. A flexible hose I02 interconnects each pilot burner 82 with pipe 94 at a point behindsolenoidvalve.96'.

The poultry singeing machine is so disposed with relationship to a conveyor line that fowl traveling on said conveyor pass between burner cabinets 56, as shown-inFigures 1 and 2. Ordinarily, said conveyor comprises a rail I04 supported by brackets I06, and along which. roll flanged rollers I08, which are rotatably mounted in. carrier members II.0. Said carrier members are maintained in spaced relationship on rail I04, and moved along said rail by conveyor chain I I I. Suspended from each of said. carrier. members is a; chain H2 in which is interposed an opaque interrupter disc II4 adapted. to pass between lamp housing 34 and. photoelectric switch 38, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.. Suspended from the lower end of' chain Il2bymeans of swivel connection H6 is a suitable. shackle II8 for releasably engaging the legs of a fowl I20.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be seen that wires I22 and I24, which are connected with a suitable source of electric current which may be controlledv by switch I26, are respectively connected by means of wires I28 and I30 with lamp 36 contained in lamp housing 34, said lamp. thus continuing to burn as long as switch I26 is closed.

Photoelectric switch 38 comprises a photoelectric cell I32 connected by wires I34 and I36 with coil I38 of sensitive relay I40, the. armature I42 of said relay forming a switch controllable by said coil, said switch'being normally closed. Wire I22 is connected to one terminal of said switch, and the other terminal of said switch is connected by wire I44 with the-solenoid coil I46 of solenoid operated valve '96. Wire I24 is also connected with said coil. Said valve is normally held in a closedposition by spring I48, and

l armature I42 will be allowed to close-the circuit.

to solenoid coil I46. Armature I52 of said solenoid will then be drawn into said coil thus opening valve 96 and allowing gas to flow through pipe 94.

The operation of the poultry singeing machine is substantially as follows. After the singer has been disposed in proper relationship to the conveyor, as described above,.. the elevation of burner cabinets 56 with respect to said 'conv'eyor may be adjusted by loosening set screws I6 and slidably raising or lowering pipe I4 in pipe I2. Photoelectric switch 38 and lamp housing 34 may be adjusted to proper horizontal alignment with interrupter discs II4 by loosening set screws 24 and sli'dably raising or lowering'pipes 22 on pipes 20.1 The distance between burner cabinets 56 may be adjusted to the size of the poultry to be singed by loosening set screws 42 and movin slides 40 along pipe I8.

' Gas is then supplied to the singer through hose 98, switch I26 is closed, and the conveyor set in motion. Pilot burners 82 are then lit and will continue to burn as long as the gas. supply is maintained, since they are interconnected with pipe 34 behind solenoid valve 96. As long as light from lamp 36 falls. on photoelectric cell I32, relay I40 will remain open, and solenoid valve 96 will remain closed, as previously described. Thus, no gas will be supplied either to burners '64 in burner cabinets 56, or to the burners 64 carried by flame spreaders I8.

. However, when the conveyor moves a fowl between burner cabinets 56, the light beam between lamp 36 and. photoelectric cell I32 is cut by interrupter disc II4 carried byv chain II2. As previously described, said photoelectric cell willthen allow relay I40 to closethe circuit tosolenoid I46 ,of solenoid valve 96, and said valve will be opened against pressure of spring I48. Gas burners 64 will thereby be supplied with gas. Gas flowing through said burners carried by flame spreaders I6 will be ignited by pilot burners 82, andthe flame therefrom will be, spread by said flame spreaders across substantially the entire width of said burner cabinets. Thisjflame will in turn ignite the lowermost burners 64 contained in cabinets 56. The flame from said last named burners will in turn ignite the-burners immediately above, the process continuin until all of burners 64 are ignited. Burners 64 may be adjusted to furnish flames of substantiallyvequal length by adjusting the gas supply'to each burner by means of the associated stop cock 66. Said flames converge inwardly against the fowl I20 between cabinets 56, singeing all feathers and hairs remaining thereon, and said flames will continue until interrupter disc H4 is. carried out of line with lamp 36 and photoelectric cell I32. When this occurs, said photoelectric cell will reopen relay I40, breaking the circuitto solenoid I46, and valve 96 will be closed by spring I48, cutting off the supply of gas to burners 64.

The duration of the singeing flames is thus controlled by the size of interrupter discs I I4 and the speed of the conveyor.

The size of said interrupter discs must be such that taken in conjunction with the speed of the conveyor, singeing flames will be applied to each fowl for sumcient time to singe it thoroughly, and yet not long enough to burn the skin or otherwise cause damage. This time will ordi' narily be in the order of perhaps five seconds.

Features of the present singeing machine are fully, automatic operation, conservation of fuel. elimination of an extra handling of the fowl ordinarily required for singeing, and adaptability to poultry of any size. I

The improvements I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent are:

1. In a poultry singeing machine, a pair of spaced, upright supports; conveyor means associated with said supports for advancing a bird between the supports; a plurality of fuel discharge devices carried by each support respectively and disposed to direct flame toward the bird as the same is advanced between the supports, means on said machine for igniting the fuel emanating from said devices; an electrically operable, normally closed valve connected with said fuel discharge devices for controlling flow of fuel to the devices; an electric control for said valve associated with said conveyor, including a photoelectric cell and an exciter lamp for directing a beam of light toward the photoelectric cell outside the path of travel of the bird; and interceptor means carried by said conveyor means for movement thereby between the photoelectric cell and the exciter lamp to block said beam of light from the photoelectric cell as the bird moves between the supports, whereby to open the valve only while the interceptor means blocks the beam of light and while the bird is between the supports.

2. In a poultry singeing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for igniting the fuel emanating from said fuel devices comprises burner means on each support respectively, sepacorresponding supports, and wherein the devices of certain rows are disposed to direct fuel along convergent paths of travel toward the opposite support.

5. In a poultry singeing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the supports are transversely arcuate with the concave surfaces thereof in facing relationship, and wherein the fuel discharge devices are arranged in a plurality of vertical rows on their corresponding supports and include fuel outlet pipes perpendicular to their supports.

GORDON W. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,530,022 Van Dusen Mar. 17, 1925 1,975,196 De Vout Oct. 2, 1934 2,088,676 White Aug. 3, 1937 2,140,399 Connolly Dec. 13, 1938 2,188,401 Crowley Jan. 30, 1940 2,412,338 Jasper Dec. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 737,569 France Oct. 4, 1932 

